Even the Archdiocese office has said cremation is an option people can choose from.
While Thane's Christian community has been anxiously waiting for a new cemetery since last three years, a quiet movement is in the offing. People have slowly started opting for cremations of their departed loved ones, as it tackles the issue of lack of space in the cemetery and is also environment friendly.
Even the Archdiocese office has said cremation is an option people can choose from.
Last year, 38-year-old Sandeep Pereira, of Charai, cremated his mom Sheela Pereira, 68 who died of cancer. Sheela was a retired teacher whose last wish was to be cremated, and not buried, in the family graveyard at Thane's St. John the Baptist Church. "My mother was environmentally conscious and knew how there is shortage of graves in Thane," said Sandeep. "Hence, when she was alive she told me to cremate her after died," he said.
Sandeep abided by her wish and says this is the only way left now in Thane which has seen a population explosion. "The population has increased in Thane. And, there aren't enough burial grounds in the city. Her wish also helped us as, in December, my cousin passed away and we used the family grave for him. Had she been buried in it, we would have to remove her and then place my cousin in it," he added.
Even Senthil P (name changed) opted for cremation for his elder brother in February. "I told one David family about the scarcity of space and they agreed to cremate him in one of their places," he adds.
In the last one-and-a-half years, 55-year-old David performed 10-15 cremations of members from the Christian community in Thane and Mulund. He works as an undertaker in churches across Thane, Mumbai, Kalyan, Dombivli and even Ambernath "Our cemetery at Teen Petrol Pump in Thane does not have space anymore for the bodies to be buried. I ask them if they'ld like to bury their loved ones in a dirty grave? And some of them understand and opt for cremation" he said.
Thane has a Christian population of over 2 lakh, but only two burial ground s– one at Teen Petrol Pump and another in the hills at Wagle estate — are there. The former is for the Catholic community with 60 to 70 graves, while the latter is for the other Christians in Thane with 400 graves. The bodies take over 18 months to decompose, and the teakwood coffins take three or more years. As such, on December 27, 2017, St John the Baptish Church, Thane, asked the community members to opt for shroud burials of their loved ones or take the bodies to Mumbai which would increase the cost of burial.
Father Nigel Barett, spokesperson for the Archdiocese, said cremation is also an option for people to choose from. "The church does not stop people from opting for cremation which is a choice they have. They can opt for cremation of their loved ones without endorsing any other religious beliefs while doing it," says Barett.
The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) was to make a cemetery in 2016.
DEEP DOWN UNDER
- Thane has a Christian population of about 2 lakh, but only two burial grounds: one at Teen Petrol Pump and another at Wagle estate. The first is for the Catholics with 60 to 70 graves
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